The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-01-05

ilt ulf4iirf'ii-i Stsrvl ri-s-nlai0-
7 called her sweet
Troy Tine,
NOT PLAYING POSSUM.
Below us the brook, swollen by the ~
cent rain. rushed through the narrow
yaiie, and swept in a long, muddy curve
around the distant bend in the rpad. The
oil scout felt like talking. and | was anx-
ious II hear him. Out Of the sun, then,
and supine in the soft pine shadows We
lay. while he told me the story Of the
ruined - Mystery over in the ravine.
When all this region roundabout was
as wild a that hill side. save that the
larch and fir and white pine were then
free to grow to their statelie>t height /:
when the deer came fearlessly to drink
from the brook, and the snake seldom
sounded its warning rattle-ihat j. to say.
only three years ago-the gnarled old oak
that stands there IN the clearing. whose
broad branches had sheltered the human
form divine in the person of the savage
Indian. tlHttered it, leaves in surprise one
day oyer the head Of the veniuresome
head Of the first oil scout Ia traverSe these
forsaken paths.
A New Engiander, young and supple,
with all the cunning and courage Of "a
Yankee, he had been singled out boy those
whose interest it Was To- know the latest
Operations in the new territory To- watch
and report the developments at the
mystery" then sinking in the rayine
beyond. He vas fond OF such adventures
for the excitement's sake; he received a
fixed wage, and Was not prompted. there
fore. to engage in Ms work by ayarice or
malevolence And a. ne reclined in the
grateful shade OF the oak, painting from
the exertion Of scaling the steep hin, that
sturdy old tree. unbending from it,
first surprise, fell 10 tanning him with its
long r1stling arms. and the birds over
head warbled tuneful greeting.
1t was one Of the early days Of spring.
and a. everything about him seemed
overcome by the influence Of the indolent
air, 20 the scout, forgetful Of duty, lay out
stretched beneath the oak dreaming Of
the stately elms OF New Haven When
he awoke it was with the hot rays Of the
sun burning his upturned face, while the
lazy wind was wrenching admonitory
creaks from the robust branches of the
tree. and leaning against its trunk stood
a small child gazing eompassionately
upon him through violet eyes.
oh you're not dead, are you? she
cried. clasping her hands and her little
bosom paIpitating.
No, indeed. Don't | look alive
You do now but you didn't when you
was - quiet
This child va, a wonderfully interest
Ing thing To the scout tie had no, talk
Ell to one for year.
How did you know ] wasn't playing
'possums
Il never played that. What is it?7
He laughed and she chimed in Ike a
silver bell, the sweetest sound the scout
had heard in a long time
Why 20 play youare asleep when you
aren't She smiled a. though she did
not understand, and came and sat down
by his side.
How could you play that all alone .
You didn't know I was here, did Won?
The quaint conceit amused them both.
and they laughed togetheraea looking
frankly into each others faces.
Tell M your name, he urged, taking
one of her small hands into his large
brown one, and handling it as tenderly
a be would ielicsite piece of lace.
Ny names Daisy; and live with
mamma and papa over there"
He dropped the hand and loo ;ed at
her eagerly Do you know papa l
thought y0u dida't. No one ever comes
to see u; papa won't let anybody, and
mamma l. awful afraid. / had a little
brother once. but he died last month. and
Ion all alone now. and mamma cries
whenever | talk about Ossie. - papa
won't let me DO IL any more. But | come
here every day and play and think Of
Ossie. and on ] yet awful lonely some
times playing alone"
Why 30 you crme here, Daisy
why. don't You know? Ossie l. bur
led here. You had your head on his
grave"
Now the scout made a sudden and very
peculiar resolve Perhaps he was mar
ried any way he m 81 have been re-
soft hearted for a scout. He
seized Daisy III his arms and covered her
pretty brown face with kisses. Then he
said very -.,ien,n.y
Daisy, goodbye Some day | may
come and see you again, bot now must
hurry way only Daisy, if your father
gets happy soon-that Is, / mean, if
he"
Strikes oil, doyou mean?" asked she
Yes lSu- he'd the scout, kissing her
again and again. until she wring,led
away; yes. Daisy, fyour father strikes
oil and seems very glad about it you tell
him that y0u savei him from scout,win
you. But mind, little one, don't say any
But at this instant, when Ii tie Daisy's
violet eyes were wide open with wonder
and the enthusiastic scout was preparing
10 take parting kiss from her cherry
iips two men came from behind the
great oak and az one snatched Daisy
screaming to his breast, the other, point
ing pistol at the head of the scout, said
sternlv
Il eoald shoot you if ! wished, but
have no fondness for homicide / advise
yOu, however, to follow that man and
INV daughter without resistance"
And then in this Indian file, Daisy in
front. turning noN and then her sorrow-
ful eyes around to meet the tranquil
smile Of the scout, they skirted the hill
and entered the ravine, passing through
3 gate in the high board fence which en-
closed the derrick and rough structures
about the oil well.
Here the stern faced owner of the
: mystery directing several of his men
LII IL -.-.--..-